Photo Credit: How-To Geek

I can't take crapware anymore. Before I buy software that helps me blog better I like to take a free trial version. Unfortunately much of what's out there is crapware or bundleware, shovelware, bloatware, whatever you want to call it. You know what it is. You see something that helps you edit photos, or check your grammar and the search results say, "FREE download."

However FREE usually means that the software you want installed comes bundled with other applications, toolbars, and utilities (usually poor quality (1)) you don't want installed. The authors of crapware present busy setup screens intended to obfuscate the installation of the unwanted software or have it downloaded automatically.

Fortunately there is a tool to help avoid unwanted crapware: Unchecky:

YouTube Video, Demonstrating Unchecky

Unchecky is only good for new installations - for those of us who have already installed crapware there is another remedy - The PC Decrapifier, which is free for individual use (but WARNING - Just be sure not to uninstall software that you paid for):

The PC Decrapifier, Download

The PC Decrapifier is a program designed to remove or uninstall a specific list of unwanted software in an unattended fashion. It can be used to clean off most of the annoying software that is typically shipped with new PCs.

But if you're not too computer savvy, I caution against using such software to prevent uninstalling software necessary to run your PC.